Rathbone proud of impact since injury return
[Getty Images] Ollie Rathbone says he is proud of the way he has returned to action for Wrexham following a lengthy spell on the sidelines through injury. The midfielder sustained a serious ankle injury in pre-season and - following numerous setbacks during his recovery - did not feature in any of his side's opening 20 league games of the season. But since making his first Championship appearance of the campaign against Watford on 13 December - a game in which he scored a last-gasp equaliser - Rathbone has featured in 22 successive league matches for Wrexham.
"I'm really proud of myself for how I've reacted to that huge setback because it was a proper sickener for a while," he said. "I've been really building myself back up and then had a few setbacks along the way. "To come back in the team and stay in the team and play every game from when I returned is something I'm quite proud of.
" Rathbone has contributed seven goals across all competitions since returning from injury. And the 29-year-old says his sole focus now lies on helping Wrexham revive their play-off hopes - starting against Stoke City at Stok Cae Ras on Saturday (15:00 BST). "I didn't get back into the team until December and I've played every game since, so I've been really happy with that," he added.
"I've managed to stay fit, which is what I wanted when I had that big setback at the start of the season. So hopefully I have a strong finish to the season. "